AI-generated illustration
Label Rouge — Réunion
For six weeks in December, the slopes of eastern La Réunion are draped in scarlet clusters — the Kwaï Mi letchi, meaning "cinnamon flavour" in Chinese, is one of the island's most eagerly awaited and fleeting fruits.
Fruit from Réunion, Label Rouge since 2006.
AI-generated illustration
The letchi (Litchi chinensis) has been cultivated in China for over 4,000 years. Long known as the "Chinese Cherry", it was considered the most refined fruit of the Celestial Empire and traditionally offered to emperors. Its spread towards the Indian Ocean occurred much later, carried along Asian trade routes.
In 1764, the botanist and explorer Joseph-François Charpentier de Cossigny de Palma introduced the letchi to La Réunion. In the east of the island, the tree found ideal conditions: humidity, warmth, and rich volcanic soils. At the end of the 18th century, the naturalist Joseph Hubert acclimatised and selected the variety in Saint-Benoît, laying the foundations of an arboricultural tradition that would endure for two centuries.
AI-generated illustration
The east of La Réunion — primarily Saint-Benoît, where the letchi tree finds a favourable warm, humid climate in the Bras-Canot area, sheltered from the wind and watered by the Rivière des Marsouins — accounts for most of the island's 500 hectares of letchi orchards. The soils of volcanic origin suit letchi trees well, which can reach 10 to 15 metres in height.
The dominant variety, the Kwaï Mi — whose name means "cinnamon flavour" — is by far the most widely cultivated and appreciated. Unlike its cousins (Blanc, Toupie, Lisse), it stands out for its beautiful bright red colour and juicy, sweet flesh. The blossoms are pollinated by bees, which simultaneously produce a letchi honey renowned for its characteristically creamy texture.
In La Réunion, the letchi is no ordinary fruit — it is an annual event. Its short, intense season, from mid-December to late January, coincides with the end-of-year holidays, making it the emblematic fruit of Creole Christmas meals. Tradition dictates that families gather in the cool morning hours to harvest the clusters together, hanging from the branches of century-old letchi trees.
The Label Rouge specifications for La Réunion litchi, promoted by the Syndicat Qualité Fruits Réunion with the support of the Chambre d'Agriculture, were approved by ministerial decree published in the Journal Officiel on 5 December 2006. The certification, monitored by the inspection body OCTROI, imposes strict criteria regarding fruit ripeness, minimum sugar content, size (≥ 3 cm in diameter), and freshness. Of the 8,000 tonnes produced each year, around 1,000 tonnes are flown to mainland France.
The sector remains heavily dependent on weather hazards. After two disappointing seasons, the 2025 season was described as exceptional despite the damage caused by Cyclone Garance: a strong return of the fruit to market stalls, an abundant harvest, and export volumes between 1,000 and 1,300 tonnes. Prices held steady at around €3/kg locally, and between €6 and €15/kg on mainland French markets, where the Réunion letchi retains its status as a "high-end" fruit.
Appearance
Round to ovoid fruit, bright red to purple when ripe. Thin yet leathery skin, rough to the touch, bristling with pointed bumps. The flesh is white, translucent, fragrant, and juicy, surrounding an inedible stone of varying size.
Taste
Sweet and juicy, distinctly more fragrant than imported letchis picked green and ripened in a ship's hold.
Texture
Juicy, melting flesh; the Kwaï Mi variety stands out for its small stone, leaving a greater proportion of flesh.
dominant variety, whose name means "cinnamon flavour", bright red, the most renowned
variety grown on the island, alongside Kwaï Mi
variety grown on the island, alongside Kwaï Mi
variety grown on the island, less colourful than Kwaï Mi
the green fruits swell and then ripen on the tree until they achieve full red colouration.
removal of undersized (< 3 cm in diameter) and damaged fruit; inspection of sugar content for the Label Rouge.
chilled and then air-freighted to mainland France on the day of harvest to preserve freshness and juiciness.
AI-generated illustration
The letchi is never better than when eaten fresh and plain. It is peeled by hand, the rind splitting easily with one's fingernails. On the island, it is readily made into sorbet, jam, fruit juice, and rhum arrangé; in patisserie, it flavours cakes, tarts, or creams, and accompanies magrets de canard and foie gras during festive meals.
Since: 2006
Area covered: La Réunion (974)
Key requirements: Controlled fruit ripeness; minimum sugar content; diameter ≥ 3 cm; fruit freshness
Certifying body: OCTROI (Organisme Certificateur Tropique Réunion Océan Indien). Sponsoring trade association: Syndicat Qualité Fruits Réunion, supported by the Chambre d'Agriculture de La Réunion.
No producer is listed for this product yet.
